Boring unit, in particular for small and middle depths

ABSTRACT

A boring unit, in particular for small and middle depths, comprising a cylinder hanging from a hoisting apparatus mounted on a truck, rotary drilling means mounted at the end of the cylinder, at least one bar for axially lowering the said cylinder and driving the said rotary drilling means into the borehole, a fixed plate for holding against rotation the said bar which is solid with the said cylinder, and means for recovering the drilling waste from the boring hole.

United States Patent mil Inventor Pierre Jean Marie Theodore Allard 178, Boulevard Francois ler, Le Havre (Seine Maritime). France Appl \o. 855,094

Filed Sept. 4. 1969 Patented Aug. 3, 1971 Priority Sept. 13, 1968 France 166,062

BORING UNIT, IN PARTICULAR FOR SMALI. AND MIDDLE DEPTHS 10Clalms. 2 Drawing Figs.

l.S.Cl. 175/93, 173/22. 175/103. 1 5/203. 175/217, 1 5/401 Int (1. E2lb3l12. E21h 7/02 Field oISearch 1"6692, 9' .103.104.106.162.2U3.206.I'll 21' 334. 4 1. 1 3/22 Primary kxaminer-lan A Calvert Attorneys-Kenyon & Kenyon and Reilly. Carr & (hapin ABSTRACT: A boring unit, in particular for small and middle depths. comprising a cylinder hanging from a hoisting apparatus mounted on a truck. rotary drilling means mounted at the end of the cylinder. at least one bar for axially lowering the said cylinder and driving the said rotary drilling means into the borehole. a fixed plate for holding against rotation the said bar which is solid with the said cylinder. and means for recovering the drilling waste from the boring hole Patented Aug. 3, 1971 3,596,722

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 QV VENTOF? PIERRE JEflN MRI-71E THEODORE ALLARD 4770mm? V5 Patented Aug. 3, 1971 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 N VENTOF? P/EDPE JEAN MAR/E THEODORE ALLARD BORING UNIT, IN PARTICULAR FOR SMALL AND MIDDLE DEPTHS The present invention has essentially for its object a boring unit more particularly adapted to carry out small and middle depth boring. The unit according to the invention is of the type using:

a body which is lowered into the borehole,

a rotary drilling tool mounted in the said body and projecting thereunder, driven in rotation relative to the said body, for instance by a hydroelectric set comprising at least one electric motor which drives at least one hydraulic pump feeding at least one hydraulic motor,

and means adapted to drive axially the tool into the borehole.

The boring unit according to the invention is of a simplified type providing a very light construction at a lower cost and allowing for economical use of such a unit economically, notably on small worksites.

The working of known boring units is indeed complicated, for in most cases they entail the setting up of a derrick and the use of a very heavy and bulky crane and towing means, they cannot easily travel on roads and their progression on uneven and, especially, muddy grounds is arduous. Moreover, every time a hole is bored the drill cuttings from the hole have to be piled up on the ground. The volume of the drill cuttings rapidly becomes considerable and hinders the operations on the worksite.

The invention has for its purpose to avoid the aforementioned drawbacks.

These aims are achieved, according to the invention. owing to the fact that the means serving to lower the aforementioned boring-unit body and to drive the tool axially into the borehole, comprise at least one rigid bar, stern, rod or the like, or a string of such bars or stems, the upper end of which is solid with means which are arranged at the surface and hold the said bars against rotation, while the lower end of the said bars is solid with the said body in rotation as well as in translation.

The means for holding the bars against rotation advantageously comprise a fixed plate or tray provided with an opening of polygonal section or the like through which slide the said bars having a similar corresponding section.

In such a boring unit the construction of the aforesaid fixed plate and the aforesaid bars therefore recalls the rotary table and the Kelly bar of a conventional boring device, except that in the boring unit according to the invention the plate and the bar do not rotate. On the contrary, it is the fact that the plate and the bar are held against rotation that enables the body of the tool to be driven into the borehole and to be prevented from rotating and owing to this, the tool rotates relative to the said body, it can exert a reaction torque upon the latterand carry out the boring proper.

lt is obvious that the design and construction of such a boring unit is much simpler and lighter than those of all known devices.

According to another feature of the invention, the drilling mud used to lubricate the tool is pumped into a circuit or system which comprises settling tanks constituted by buckets or vats which are directly transportable by lorry. In this way it becomes easier to eliminate the trail cuttings as the boring proceeds and to remove the same from the worksite.

The invention will be better understood and further objects characteristics, details and advantages thereof will appear as the following explanatory description proceeds with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings given by way of example only, illustrating one form of embodiment of the invention and wherein;

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a boring unit proper, according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is aview, to a smaller scale, showing how the unit of HO. 1 may be used in aboring plant designed according to the invention. v

According to the form of embodiment shown in the drawings, the boring unit comprises a body 10 mounted solid with a polygonal bar 11, hanging on to a cable 12 which passes round the sheave 13 of the jib 14 of a crane truck 15. The truck 15 comprises a winch 16 for hauling the cable 12, the said winch being driven by a motor 17. Guys 18 and blocking jacks l9 ensure the fixing of the device upright with respect to the borehole 20. A guide pipe 21 is advantageously placed at the inlet of the borehole 20.

Projecting under the body 10 is the drilling tool 22 which comprises several toothed bits or crowns 23, 24, 25.

The tool 22 is driven in rotation by a hydraulic motor 26 fed by a pump 27 driven by an electric motor 28 which is itself fed through a supply cable 29. The reference numeral 270 designates filter means of the pump 27. The electric motor 28 is advantageously housed in a sealed oil casing 30.

The drilling water and mud are conveyed to the tool 22 through a pipe 31 which opens into a conduit 32, 33, 34 at the center of the tool 22, thus ensuring the lubrication of the latter. At 36, 37 are seen the bearings of the tool 22 in the sleeve 38 of the body 10, while at 39 there is shown a toothed ring integral with the hub 40 of the tool and driven by the pinion 41 of the motor 26.

The bar 11 of the Kelly type slides in a fixed plate 42 which is carried by the truck and is provided with an opening whose section corresponds with that of the bar 11. Thus, the bar 11 and the body 10 which is solid therewith can slide along the axis z'z of the borehole, but cannot rotate.

Thus, when the hydraulic motor 26 is made to rotate, the boring crowns or bits are driven in rotating in the borehole, the feed motion being obtained as a result of the axial thrust exerted on the body 10. This thrust may result solely from the weight of the body 10 and the bar 11. Alternatively, a fluid-actuated thrust device may be associated with the bar 11.

To be noted in FIG. 1 is the position of the upper toothed crown or bit 25 which enables to withdraw the tool even in the event of a fall of earth in the borehole.

As the tool is driven deeper into the borehole the pipe 31 and the cable 29 are paid out. Advantageously, they are wound round a drum 43. The pipe 31 is fed through a conduit 44 from a pump 45 which draws the water from a tank 46.

In the form of embodiment illustrated the tank 46 is the third ofa series of three settling tanks 46, 47, 48 in which successively settles the drilling mud which rises and is taken out from the borehole at 49, These tanks are advantageously constituted by buckets which may be loaded directly onto a lorry. Thus the disaggregated earth settling in the first bucket 48 is readily eliminated as it gathers.

Of course when a bucket 48 is full it is substituted by the bucket 47, the bucket 46 replaces the bucket 47 and a new empty bucket replaces the bucket 46.

Of course, the invention is by no means limited to the form of embodiment described and represented which has been given by way'of example only. In particular, the invention comprises all thetechnical equivalents of-the means described as well as their combinations, if these are carried out according to the spirit-of the invention,

What l claim is:

1. A boring unit, in particular for small and middle depths including: a substantially cylindrical body hanging from a hoisting apparatus and adapted to be lowered into a borehole; rotary drilling means provided at the end of said cylindrical body and including boring crowns, at least one of which has its teeth directed towards the inlet of said borehole; electrical and hydraulic means mounted in said cylindrical body for driving the said rotary drilling means in rotation relative to said cylindrical bod-y; bar means actuated by said hoisting apparatus-for axially lowering said cylindrical body while axially driving said rotary drilling means into said borehole; means carried by saidhoisting apparatus for axially guiding said bar means while holding the latter against rotation, the said bar means being solidwith said cylindrical body in rotation as well as in translation; and means for recovering the drilling waste from said borehole.

2. A boring unit according to claim 1, wherein the said means for holding the said bar means against rotation include a fixed plate provided with an opening of polygonal section through which the said bar means are adapted to slide, the said bar means having a similar corresponding cross section.

3. A boring unit according to claim 1, wherein the said hoisting apparatus is mounted on a truck provided with a crane adapted to the position the said bar means upright with respect to the borehole.

4. A boring unit according to claim 1, wherein said electrical and hydraulic means include a hydroelectric set with an electric motor which drives a hydraulic pump feeding at least one hydraulic motor adapted to rotate said rotary drilling means, and an auxiliary pump for the circulation ofthe drilling mud.

5. A boring unit according to claim 1, wherein the said means for recovering the waste or spoils comprise successive settling tanks constituted by buckets or vats which can be loaded onto a lorry.

6. A boring unit, in particular for small and middle depths including: a substantially cylindrical body hanging from a hoisting apparatus and adapted to be lowered into a borehole; rotary drilling means provided at the end of said cylindrical body; electrical and hydraulic means mounted in said cylindrical body for driving the said rotary drilling means in rotation relative to said cylindrical body, said electrical and hydraulic means comprising a hydroelectric set with an electric motor which drives a hydraulic pump feeding at least one hydraulic motor adapted to rotate said rotary drilling means, and an auxiliary pump for the circulation of the drilling mud; bar means actuated by said hoisting apparatus for axially lowering said cylindrical body while axially driving said rotary drilling means into said borehole; means carried by said hoisting apparatus for axially guiding said bar means while holding the latter against rotation, the said bar means being solid with said cylindrical body in rotation as well as in translation; with said hoisting apparatus including drum means around which an electric supply cable for said electric motor and a flexible pipe for conveying said drilling mud to said rotary drilling means, are wound; and means for recovering the drilling waste from said borehole.

7. A boring unit according to claim 6, wherein the said means for holding said bar means against rotation include a fixed plate provided with an opening of polygonal section through which the said bar means are adapted to slide, said bar means having a similar corresponding cross section.

8. A boring unit according to claim 6, wherein said hoisting apparatus is mounted on a truck provided with a crane adapted to position said bar means upright with respect to said borehole.

9. A boring unit according to claim 6, wherein said rotary drilling means include boring crowns, at least one of which has its teeth directed towards the inlet of the borehole.

10. A boring unit according to claim 6, wherein said means for recovering the waste comprise successive settling tanks constituted by buckets which can be loaded onto a lorry. 

1. A boring unit, in particular for small and middle depths including: a substantially cylindrical body hanging from a hoisting apparatus and adapted to be lowered into a borehole; rotary drilling means provided at the end of said cylindrical body and including boring crowns, at least one of which has its teeth directed towards the inlet of said borehole; electrical and hydraulic means mounted in said cylindrical body for driving the said rotary drilling means in rotation relative to said cylindrical body; bar means actuated by said hoisting apparatus for axially lowering said cylindrical body while axially driving said rotary drilling means into said borehole; means carried by said hoisting apparatus for axially guiding said bar means while holding the latter against rotation, the said bar means being solid with said cylindrical body in rotation as well as in translation; and means for recovering the drilling waste from said borehole.
 2. A boring unit according to claim 1, wherein the said means for holding the said bar means against rotation include a fixed plate provided with an opening of polygonal section through which the said bar means are adapted to slide, the said bar means having a similar corresponding cross section.
 3. A boring unit according to claim 1, wherein the said hoisting apparatus is mounted on a truck provided with a crane adapted to the position the said bar means upright with respect to the borehole.
 4. A boring unit according to claim 1, wherein said electrical and hydraulic means include a hydroelectric set with an electric motor which drives a hydraulic pump feeding at least one hydraulic motor adapted to rotate said rotary drilling means, and an auxiliary pump for the circulation of the drilling mud.
 5. A boring unit according to claim 1, wherein the said means for recovering the waste or spoils comprise successive settling tanks constituted by buckets or vats which can be loaded onto a lorry.
 6. A boring unit, in particular for small and middle depths including: a substantially cylindrical body hanging from a hoisting apparatus and adapted to be lowered into a borehole; rotary drilling means provided at the end of said cylindrical body; electrical and hydraulic means mounted in said cylindrical body for driving the said rotary drilling means in rotation relative to said cylindrical body, said electrical and hydraulic means comprising a hydroelectric set with an electric motor which drives a hydraulic pump feeding at least one hydraulic motor adapted to rotate said rotary drilling means, and an auxiliary pump for the circulation of the drilling mud; bar means actuated by said hoisting apparatus for axially lowering said cylindrical body while axially driving said rotary drilling means into said borehole; means carried by said hoisting apparatus for axially guiding said bar means while holding the latter against rotation, the said bar means being solid with said cylindrical body in rotation as well as in translation; with said hoisting apparatus including drum means around which an electric supply cable for said electric motor and a flexible pipe for conveying said drilling mud to said rotary drilling means, are wound; and means for recovering the drilling waste from said borehole.
 7. A boring unit according to claim 6, wherein the said means for holding said bar means against rotation include a fixed plate provided with an opening of polygonal section through which the said bar means are adapted to slide, said bar means having a similar corrEsponding cross section.
 8. A boring unit according to claim 6, wherein said hoisting apparatus is mounted on a truck provided with a crane adapted to position said bar means upright with respect to said borehole.
 9. A boring unit according to claim 6, wherein said rotary drilling means include boring crowns, at least one of which has its teeth directed towards the inlet of the borehole.
 10. A boring unit according to claim 6, wherein said means for recovering the waste comprise successive settling tanks constituted by buckets which can be loaded onto a lorry. 